Vigneault, Lundqvist and Staal comment on loss to Islanders

RANGERS VS ISLANDERS POST GAME COMMENTS

Alain Vigneault
On the shorthanded goal, "there is no doubt, we had 5 guys standing around and looking at two of their players making plays in front of our net. Without a doubt that put us behind the 8-ball early in the third. I thought we came out good in the first period but we only got 5 shots. We spent a lot of time in their end but didn't get much for it. In the second period we made two puck decisions that were wrong and it ended up in the back of our net. Then you give this team a two-goal lead with that shorthanded goal we gave up there. It makes it real hard and they deserve to win, we didn't make enough plays with the puck."

On the PP, "they got a goal that they shouldn't have got, like I mentioned, 5 guys just looking at them do what they want in front of our net. We got one right back after, just had a hard time making plays in their end. You gotta give them credit, they played a good game. We seem to have issues in this building right now, nothing we can do about that, we gotta get ready for our next game. Practice Saturday and the best team in the league on Sunday."

"When you've got five guys just standing around looking at two of their players making plays in front of our net - without a doubt, that one put us behind the 8-ball early in the third," "They got a goal there that they shouldn't have gotten."

Henrik Lundqvist
On their intensity in the second, "we had a stretch in the second where they came hard and we made it hard on ourselves with a couple of turnovers that cost us. Overall it's a good game, I feel that the third one is a killer, it's our PP and sometimes when you have an extra man you might rely on someone else to do the job and I think that is what happened. We didn't communicate enough in front of the net, we had the guys back but we didn't sort it out. That was the difference. Overall it was a good game, we worked hard and had some chances but when we gave that one up it was a tough hill to climb."

How close were you to covering up the puck, "it was right there, he kept hacking and whacking and the puck kept bouncing. It was right there and when it ended up behind I thought we had the coverage. We had 4 guys back but we didn't sort it out and it cost us. In a game like this where we had some good looks 5 on 5, special teams can decide the game and it did."

"I feel like the third one is a killer," "On our own power play - sometimes when you're an extra man, you might rely on someone else to do the job and I think that's what happened. We didn't communicate in front of the net because we had the guys back. We just didn't sort it out. That was the difference, I think, because overall it was a good game. We worked hard and had some chances, but when we gave that one up it was a tough hill to climb."

Marc Staal on Andrew Ladd's Goal
"I just thought I had a little more time than I did," "I thought Hank stopped it and when I realized he didn't, I've just got to make a better play on the puck … that one is on me."

NYR TODAY Friday 12/30: Post Game Comments, Alumni Birthday, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS @ ARIZONA COYOTES POST GAME COMMENTS

Matt Puempel;
On the Hat Trick, "it caught me off guard with only 25 seconds left. I knew that the goalie wasn't pulled so I didn't expect it. First one for me in a while, I don't think I had one in the American league ever. First one tonight is nice and my teammates helped me a lot getting that one."
When was your last Hat Trick, "I think it was in the OHL, one of my last years in the OHL. I haven't thought about a Hat Trick in a while. It was nice to see some hats on the ice here."
On the Hat Trick with his brother at the game, "he came to two of my games last year and I scored in both, it was the only two goals I had all year. I think he is good luck for me right now. It's nice to have the siblings on the trip and a good to get a win for them."
On the game winner, "we got out there, it was 3-3, close game and I was just trying to take the goalies eyes away for any shots that came at him. I didn't see it when it left Mac's stick but I waived at it and it changed direction and went in. The PP was moving the puck really well tonight and I was just trying to do an easy job of taking away his eyes and fortunately that paid off."
On being more comfortable, "Confidence goes a big way. Coming here was a fresh start and then having a little concussion there. It's 10/11 games now and the guys play a big part in welcoming me and the coaching staff and being in the lineup and having a role is a big part of it. I need to thank them for how they have treated me and that helps on the ice too."

Alain Vigneault;
"The guys executed," Vigneault said of the power play. "We had good net front [presence]. Got pucks at the net and were able to obviously score the one that got us the win there when Pumps tipped that one in. There's no doubt that power play wise, it was a good night for us."

Antti Raanta;
"We knew they were going to come hard in the third period," "They didn't have lots of shots in the first two periods so we knew they were going to start throwing pucks at the net, so it was nice to get that save. I think that was the first time in the game where you felt like you get going. You get that feeling again. It was a little bit easier to play the third period when you get that save."

NYR Alumni Birthday December 30:

Lester "The Silver Fox" Patrick (December 31, 1883 – June 1, 1960) Seasons with Rangers: 20 (13 as head coach; 20 as general manager) Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 1 Playoff Games with Rangers: 0 

Today in NYR History December 30:

1934: Goaltenders Dave Kerr of the New York Rangers and Tiny Thompson of the Boston Bruins are flawless in a scoreless tie at Madison Square Garden.

1996: Wayne Gretzky scores two goals, and Mike Richter makes 31 saves as the Rangers defeat the Dallas Stars, 3-2. It’s the Rangers first victory in Dallas in franchise history.

POST GAME STATS, COMMENTS:

- Rangers third win in 3 on 3 OT this season. First two came on PPG winners. Prior to J.T.'s goal last night, the last time NY Rangers had a 3-on-3 goal was 12/10/05, when Martin Rucinsky had the GWG in OT at St. Louis.

- Rangers have trailed entering third period in last three home games (Bruins, Caps, Canucks). They are 2-0-1. 

- Prior to tonight, per the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time the Rangers trailed at end of two periods in two straight home games and won each game was on Nov. 15 and Nov. 17, 2008. Also per Elias, the last time the Rangers trailed at end of two periods in three straight home games and earned at least one point in each game was Nov. 10, Nov. 15 and Nov. 17, 2008.

- Keith Yandle played a season-high 23:33. Marc Staal played a season-low 14:47.

- Chris Kreider extended his point streak to four games with an assist. But he did not return to the game after colliding with Radim Vrbata on his first overtime shift. Vrbata did play again in the three-on-three period.

- Derek Stepan, with a goal and an assist, Rick Nash, with two assists, and Ryan McDonagh, with an assist, all now have three-game point streaks. 

- Rangers have now earned at least one point in seven of their last eight games against the Canucks, dating back to Jan. 13, 2011 (6-1-1).

- JT Miller said he had forgotten about his turnover in Washington by the time he got on the flight home. Pissed at first, but moved on.

- J.T. Miller took a career-high eight shots. It was his first career overtime goal.

- Lundqvist on Ryan Miller: "That was a great performance, no doubt about. I think he made it look pretty easy, too, the way he was moving."

- AV: "Shots, chances, anything you want to do a in a game, we were doing."

- Cap't McD on JT: "It's great to see him trusting himself as a player, really maturing and understanding he’s a big impact player for us now"

- D Keith Yandle: “I think it’s huge for the confidence. I thought we played a good game - played good in the offensive zone, did a good job in our defensive zone, and limited them to not too many chances. We found a way to win; it’s the main thing this time of year. 

- The Rangers are 7-2-1 against Pacific Division

- The Rangers are now 6-1-1 against the Canucks since Jan. 13, 2011

- The Canucks had two shots on goal in the third period, the fewest the Rangers have allowed in a period this season.